Horse-detaching appliance.



No. 63u34. Patented sept. s, wol. r

E. R. RICHARDS.

HORSE DETACHING APPLIANCE.

(Application mod July u, $01.).

(No Modal.)

@Mol/0(2) HWY@ fz Arron/vers` NTT-nn STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDI/VIN R. RICHARDS, OF LAUD, INDIANA.

HORSE-DETACHING APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,734, datedSeptember 3, 1901.

Application filed July 5, 1901. Serial No. 67,095. (No model.)

T0 all whom, i?? may concern,.-

Beit known that I, EDWIN R. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Land, in the county of Whitley, in the State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-DetachingAppliances; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in horse detaching appliancesspecially designed and adapted for use on buggies and carrlages.

The object of my present invention is to provide a safety appliance forvehicles by means of which the horse propellin g the same can readilyand conveniently be detached therefrom by the driver in case ofemergency, as of sudden fright and attempted runaway.

My invention consists of an improved retaining and releasing means forboth the traces and the ordinary holdback-straps so arranged as to be atall times within convenient reach of the operator.

The principal novel feature of my invention resides in the constructionand arrangement of the trace-releasing device.

In the accompanying drawings similar reference-numerals indicate likeparts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a side view ofmy improvement in position for use, showing the relative arrangement ofthe operative parts with the vehicle broken away in part. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail of my invention, broken away in part. Fig. 3 is aperspective detail of the means for securing the holdback-straps to thethills. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the pivoted clip in its normalposition on the singletree. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the samewith the pivoted trace-clip shown in the position into which it isthrown by the operator in detaching the horse. Fig. 6 is another detailof the same, showing the said clip in the position into which it isthrown by the traces in detaching. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan of the saidclip.

On the opposite ends of any proper singletree 1 is mounted a pair ofpivoted clips 2, formed by two opposite parallel integral plates 3 and4, which are secured to the said singletree and to each other by the pinor pivot 5. On the rear face and outer edge of the said upper plate 3 isarranged a lateral lug 6, adapt-ed to secure the traces andholdback-straps in position on the said singletree in use, as shown inFig. 2. To the rear face and inner edge of the lower plate 4 is securedthe bent lever-arm 7, preferably cast integral therewith. This lever-armhas its inner end arranged in parallel relation with the said clip andhas its outer end bent at right angles thereto and provided upon itsfree end with an eye 8, to which one end of the operating-cord 9 issecured, as shown in Fig. 5. These cords, as well as the clips andholdbackstraps, are of course in duplicate. This lever-arm normallyremains beneath the singletree and is so adj usted as to clear the samein its operation. The other end of the cord 9 is secured to thedashboard 10 of the vehicle 11 or other point within convenient reach ofthe operator. On the upper face of each of the thills 12 is fixed aforwardly-projecting hook 13, whose free end is bent downwardly nearlyinto contact with the adjacent face of the thill to prevent anyaccidental derangement of the holdback strap therein. To the ordinarybreeching-ring 14 of any suitable single harness is Secured one end ofmy improved detachable holdback-strap 15 of proper dimensions, whichpasses loosely through the said hook 13 and has its other end secured toits corresponding end of the said pivoted clip 2 in any proper manner,preferably having its free end provided with an eye of a proper size tofit over the end of said singletree and over the said clip, as seen inFig. 2. The trace 16 is of the ordinary form, with an eye in its rearend, as usual, but of proper size to be readily slipped over the end ofthe said singletree and onto the said clip.

The operation and manner of employing my invention thus described is asfollows:

The pivoted clip 2 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 2 when inuse. The tug or trace is iirst fitted onto the said clip,where ICO by italso embraces the end of the singletree. The eye of the saidholdback-strap is also Iitted onto the clip in like manner, in whichposition the said trace and strap are secured by means of the said lug6J It is obvious that as the said clip is at the limit of its movementto the left in Fig. 2 there is no tendency to displacement or to thedetaching of the traces and holdbacks by the draft strain thereon. Whenin case of emergency it is desired to detach the horse, it can readilyand instantly be done by pulling on the operating-cords 9, which willthrow the pivoted clips into the position shown in Fig. 5,whereby thedraft strain will then be on the said lug 6, thereby forcing the saidclip still farther to the right or approximately into the position shownin Fig. 6, thus detaching simultaneously both the traces and theholdback-straps. As the leverage upon the said pivoted clip is ample andthe movement thereof is a positive one, the operation of detaching ispositive and reliable in any emergency. Of course when the holdba'cksare detached from the singletree they will readily slip through the saidhook 13, and thereby become disengaged from the thills.

I am aware that a great variety of tracedetaching devices have beendevised; but no horse-detaching device of which I am aware has beenprovided having, in combination with a pivoted clip, a means fordetaching the holdback-straps which bears any resemblance to myimprovement.

Having thus described my invention,what 3 5 I desire to secure byLetters Patent is- 1. A horse-detacher consisting of a pivotedsingletree-clip having a lateral lug for the purpose specified, andprovided with a fixed lever-arm by which the said clip is swungoutwardly in the operation of detaching; a thillhook arranged as shown,and adapted to receive the strain of the holdback-strap; and aholdback-strap passing loosely through the said hook and having its freeend mounted on the said clip.

2. In a horse-detaching appliance a pivotally-mounted clip having afixed operatinglever therefor; means for actuating said lever; aholdback-strap havin g its free end mounted on the said clip; and meansfor detachably Yconnecting the said strap to the thill.

3. The combination of a pivoted singletreeclip on which both the traceand holdbackstrap are removably mounted; means for actuating said clipon its pivot to detach the said trace and said strap therefrom; aholdback loosely connected to the thill and having its free end mountedon said clip; and means for detachably connecting the said strap to thesaid thill.

Signed by me at Fort Wayne, Allen county, State of Indiana, this 1st dayof July, 1901.

EDWIN R. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

ADELAIDE KEARNS, AUGUSTA VIBERG.

